We’ve decided to summarise this in a brief, easy to digest article. Take a look below to find a few hints that’ll improve your blackjack play.

When people play to get 21…

Unfortunately, quite a few beginners attempt to get as close to 21 as they possibly can – which, is how you play the game – but don’t fold when they’ve got 17, 18 or even 19! Some people even try and turn a 20 into 21 – those guys are mental!

The tactic is to play to beat the dealer, not to get the highest score. Change your tactics depending on what the dealer is showing. If the dealer shows a 4 and you have 15 then stand. Since the dealer generally has to play to 17, there’s a good chance they’ll bust and you’ll take the winnings. If you play when you have 15, there’s a good chance you will bust and the dealer doesn’t have to play his hand.

Once you lose, the dealer wins. Remember that and you’re well on your way to winning!

When people split at the wrong time…

Okay, splitting is a great tactic, but honestly, you need to know when to do it and when not to do it. Really, it’s that important. If you split with the wrong numbers you can end up in a worse position than you originally started off with.

For example, say you landed two fives, which is ten in total, you now have two options. You can either hit and potentially land anything from 11 to 20, or you can split and end up with two potential hands of 5 to 15. Think about it, you can land a number of potentially good hands from the first scenario or none at all in the second scenario. Ultimately, you are going to have to draw another card anyway, so be careful what you split on and remember, only split on eights or above.

Those are the two most common mistakes beginner blackjack players make – do don’t make them! Play wise, play smart and above all, play with common sense. Don’t hit on 19 and don’t split 7s!

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